Modular paint brush

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a modular paint brush comprising a plurality of custom molded and contoured handles that are readily detachable from brush elements using a slide connector with a button stop. Also included is a rotatable brush element. Rotation is achieved through a rotational connector disposed between the handle and the brush element. The rotation of the brush element is governed by a uniform rotation resistance designed into the rotational connector to serve the dual objectives of rotationality and maintaining rotational position of the brush element when the brush is in use after rotation of the brush element. Rapid detachability between the handle and brush element serves the multiple purposes of changing handle configuration with the same brush element for different work environments, changing brush widths for use with the same paint in different work environments, and changing paint colors with the same brush handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the general field of decorating tools,and more specifically relates to the field of paint brushes. Even morespecifically, it concerns modular paint brushes having handles which aremolded in contoured designs which handles are readily detachable fromreplaceable brush elements containing conventional brush bristles andmetal band attaching them to the brush. The combination further includesa rotational connector between the brush element and handle whichconnector provides a uniform rotational resistance throughout its entire360 degrees of rotation.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A number of U.S. patents have been issued concerning paint brushes. Anumber of these are sectional or segmented brushes in which the brushelement is comprised of a plurality of pieces. See for example, Neil,U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,980, Tetzlaff, U.S. Pat. No. 2,677,841 and Ferguson,U.S. Pat. No. 2,629,125.

The closest known prior art is Raia, U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,479, whichdiscloses a modular, multiple paint brush system. The Raia referencealso includes a segmented or sectionalized brush element and adetachable handle, but does not appear to teach a rotatable brushelement governed by uniform rotational resistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Bearing in mind the foregoing, it is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide a modular paint brush that includes brush elementsthat are detachable from custom molded and contoured handles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint brush in which thebrush element is rotatable with respect to the handle.

A related object of the invention is to provide the aforesaid rotationalcapability governed by uniform rotational resistance which optimizes thedual objectives of rotationality and maintaining a certain rotationalposition when the brush is in use.

An additional object of the invention is to provide for disposable brushelements while maintaining and retaining a custom molded and contouredhandle.

A further object of the invention is to permit quick and easy changes ofbrush elements so as to enable the same custom molded and contouredhandle to be used with different paint colors and different width brushelements.

A related object of the invention is to employ a simple and easilyoperated slide connection with a button stop for changes of the brushelements.

An alternative object of the invention is to permit different handles tobe used in different painting configurations such as a short hand griphandle versus a pistol grip handle as both are illustrated in thisapplication.

A further object of the invention is to conserve trees. Mostconventional paint brush handles are made from wood, and are thrown awaywhen the brush is discarded. The present invention utilizes a molded andcontoured handle not made from wood that can be used with an almostlimitless supply of brush elements, thus saving many wooden handles.

One more object of the invention is to provide all of the foregoingfeatures and advantages in an inexpensive utilitarian product.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled inthe art upon reference to the following descriptions and the appendeddrawings.

In accordance with a principal aspect of the invention, there isprovided a modular paint brush comprising a plurality of custom moldedand contoured handles that are readily detachable from brush elementsand which further include a rotatable brush element. The rotation of thebrush element is governed by a uniform rotation resistance to serve thedual objectives of rotationality and maintaining rotational position ofthe brush element after its rotation when the brush is in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various other features of the invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunctionwith the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the modular paint brush whenequipped with a hand grip molded and contoured handle.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view showing the split handle design.

FIG. 3 is an alternative handle having a pistol grip and showing threephillips head screws for connecting the halves of the handle together.

FIG. 4 is a broken view of the interior side of the back half of thepistol grip handle of FIG. 3 showing the interior construction of thehandle.

FIG. 5 is an end view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged broken front elevation view of the detachabilitystructure of the brush element.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged broken side elevation view of the detachabilitystructure of the brush element shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front elevation view of the rotational connectorwhen removed from a handle.

FIG. 9 is a right side elevation view of the rotational connector ofFIG. 8.

FIGS. 10 is a rear elevation view of the rotational connector of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the rotational connector of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a cross section taken along the line A-A of FIG. 8 andshowing the center post of the rotational connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosedherein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as the basisfor the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled inthe art to variously employ the present invention in virtually anyappropriately detailed structure.

Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein like characteristics andfeatures of the present invention shown in the various figures anddesignated by the same referenced numerals.

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the inventive modular paint brush 10when it is equipped with a molded and contoured hand grip style handle12. The paint brush 10 is generally comprised of handle 12, rotationalconnector 14, and brush element 16. Brush element 16 in turn iscomprised of slide connector 18, bristles 20, and conventional brassband 22, for binding the bristles 20 to the slide connector 18.

In FIG. 2, it is seen that handle 12 is a split design that is comprisedof two halves that meet at line 24. The significance of this will beexplained later. Near the bottom of handle 12 is tapered flange 26. Thetee-top 28 of slide connector 16 is shown in the track 30 of rotationalconnector 14.

FIG. 3 is an alternative handle 32 having a pistol grip and showingthree phillips head screws 34 for connecting the halves of the handletogether. Also seen is tapered flange 26.

FIG. 4 is a broken view of the interior side of the back half 36, pistolgrip handle of FIG. 3 showing the interior construction of handle 32. Init is seen sidewalls 38, tapered flange 26, disc recess 40, rotatingmember center post collar 42, rotating member center post aperture 44,rotating member bolt head chamber 46, and rotating member bolt headcollar 48.

FIG. 5 is end view of any of the handles intended for use with themodular paint brush 10, and shows the lower surface of tapered flange26, the end of sidewall 38, rotating member center post collar 42, androtating member center post aperture 44.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged broken front elevation view of the detachabilitystructure of the brush element 16. It shows groove 50, above which istee top 28. Disposed at the center of groove 50 is button 52 which actsas a stop in cooperation with a tab to be described later in regard torotational connector 14.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged broken side elevation view of the brush element 16shown in FIG. 6. On either side, grooves 50 and buttons 52 can be seen.Above grooves 50 is tee top 28.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged front elevation view of the rotational connector14 when removed both from a handle and from brush element 16. Its baseis essentially an inverted U-shaped member 54 having two front tabs 56,two rear tabs 58, and a button engaging tab 60. On the inside of each ofthe tabs is a projection 62 for engagement in groove 50 as seen in FIGS.6 and 7. Mounted on top of base member 54 are 2 gripping elbows 64 whichengage with a handle at the top of tapered flange 26 as seen in FIGS. 2,3 and 4. Elbow grippers 64 provide the uniform rotation resistance ofrotational connector 14. Mounted between gripping elbows 64 are theportions of the rotational connector 14 that are inserted into the endof the handle. These include bolt head top 66, center post 68, and disc70.

FIG. 9 is a right side elevation view of the rotational connector 14seen in FIG. 8. In it is seen inverted U-shaped base member 54 withfront tab 56, rear tab 58, and projections 62 for engagement in groove50 (seen in FIGS. 6 and 7). Elbow gripper 64 is shown in front of bolthead 66, center post 68, and disc 70.

The means of assembly of rotational connector 14 with a handle is seenby reference to FIG. 4, and requires disassembly of a handle into ahalves to insert or remove rotational connector 14 from a handle. Upondisassembly of the handle, center post 68 is placed in rotating membercenter post aperture 44, while disc 70 is placed in disc recess 40, andbolt head 66 is placed in rotating member bolt head chamber 46. Then thetwo halves of the handle are reassembled using phillips head screws 34(seen in FIG. 3) such that bolt head 66 cannot escape from rotatingmember bolt head chamber 46, while the rotational connector 14, iscentered by center post 68 being held within rotating member center postaperture 44 by rotating member center post collar 42, and with disc 70being held within sidewalls 38 inside disc recess 40. However, bolt head66, center post 68, and disc 70 are free to rotate together with eachother in this position.

FIG. 10 is a rear elevation view of the rotational connector 14, whichshows the projections 62 on the back of front tabs 56, and shows buttonengaging surfaces 72 on the back of button engaging tab 60. Buttonengaging surfaces 72 engage button 52 (as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7).

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the rotational connector 14 of FIGS. 8, 9and 10. Bolt head top 56 is shown over disc 70, which in turn is on topof inverted U-shaped base member 54. Bolt head top 66 and disc 70 areflanked on either side by elbow grippers 64.

Turning finally to FIG. 12, which shows a cross section of center post68 taken along the line A-A of FIG. 8. It illustrates the cross shapedcenter post 68 looking down on the top of disc 70. It is the arms ofcenter post 68 which rotationally contact rotating member center postcollar 42, and maintains center post 68, within rotating member centerpost aperture 44 (as seen in FIG. 4).

While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shownin various terms or certain embodiments of modifications which hasassumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be,nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such othermodifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings hereinare particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth andscope of the claims here appended.

1. A modular paint brush comprising: a brush handle; a brush element; aslide connector disposed within the brush element to readily detach thebrush element from and readily attach the brush element to the modularpaint brush; a rotational connector disposed between the brush handleand the slide connector to permit rotational movement of the brushelement with respect to the handle; and means to apply uniformrotational resistance to the rotational movement.
 2. The brush of claim1 in which the means to apply uniform rotational resistance to therotational movement is at least one elbow gripper attached to therotational connector and applying pressure on the handle.
 3. The brushof claim 1 in which the slide connector contains at least one groove tocooperate with at least one projection in a track disposed within therotational connector.
 4. The brush of claim 3 which further comprises:at least one button disposed within the at least one groove; and abutton engaging tab attached to the rotational connector to provide astop to releasably hold the slide connector in lateral position relativeto the rotational connector.
 5. The brush of claim 4 in which the buttonengaging tab further comprises button engaging surfaces that cooperatewith the at least one button to provide the stop to releasably hold theslide connector in lateral position relative to the rotationalconnector.
 6. The brush of claim 1 in which the handles are custommolded and contoured to provide a plurality of options including a handgrip style and a pistol grip style thereby facilitating a variety ofworking environments.
 7. The brush of claim 1 in which the detachmentand attachment capability facilitates all of rapid changes of paintcolor using the same handle, rapid changes of brush width using the samehandle, and rapid changes of handle configuration using the same brushelement.
 8. The brush of claim 1 in which the handle is split into twohalves held together by fasteners, which handle further comprises meansto positively retain members of the rotational connector when the halveshave been opened to insert those members, while at the same timeallowing rotation of those members within the closed handle.
 9. Thebrush of claim 8 in which the handle includes a disc recess, a rotatingmember center post collar, a rotating member center post aperture, arotating member bolt head chamber, and a rotating member bolt headcollar; while the rotational connector includes a disc, center post, andbolt head; and Wherein the disc is disposed within the disc recess, thecenter post is disposed within the rotating member center post aperturecentered by the rotating member center post collar, and the bolt head isconfined within the rotating member bolt head chamber by the rotatingmember center post collar and the rotating member bolt head collar. 10.The brush of claim 1 in which the brush element further comprisesconventional bristles and a metal band attaching the bristles to thebrush.